Zelenskyy visits recaptured Kherson as alleged war crimes emerge; landmines pose a danger to liberators

U.S. President Joe Biden held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. Biden brought up the war in Ukraine as the pair “exchanged views on key regional and global challenges” in their approximately three-hour meeting, according to the White House.

“President Biden raised Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine and Russia’s irresponsible threats of nuclear use,” the White House wrote in a readout of the meeting. The leaders further “underscored their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine,” according to the readout.

This was Biden’s first face-to-face meeting with the Chinese president since taking office. The meeting came as tensions between the two economic superpowers have been at their highest in recent memory. The U.S. has also become increasingly concerned about China’s “no limits” relationship with Russia.

Xi encouraged Biden and other Western allies to engage in talks with Russia to mitigate “the current situation in Ukraine,” according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“We support and look forward to a resumption of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in a readout of the meeting. “At the same time, we hope that the United States, NATO and the EU will conduct comprehensive dialogues with Russia.”

The G-20 summit is expected to have a similar focus, with leaders from the world’s leading and emerging economies set to discuss the litany of challenges facing the global economy. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend.

— Rocio Fabbro

The Kremlin said on Monday that talks with the United Nations last week on a deal safeguarding the shipment of grain from Ukrainian ports had been “fairly constructive,” raising hopes that it can be rolled over smoothly.

Senior U.N. officials met a Russian delegation in Geneva on Friday to discuss Moscow’s grievances about the Black Sea grain initiative, which has since August lifted a Russian blockade of the seaports of one of the world’s main grain exporters.

“There were talks with the U.N. last week, fairly constructive talks. We have our interest in this deal, which was originally part of the whole mechanism of the deal,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Russia has been demanding unhindered access to world markets for its own food and fertiliser exports in return for agreeing to a rollover of the Black Sea deal, which is due for renewal on Nov. 19. Moscow has indicated that it could quit the deal if progress is not made on its concerns.

“We are actually still a week away from the extension date, so work is ongoing,” Peskov added.

— Reuters

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned people not to underestimate Russia despite its latest setback in the war in Ukraine following its withdrawal from Kherson.

“We should not make the mistake of underestimating Russia. The Russian Armed Forces retain significant capabilities, as well as a large number of troops. And Russia has demonstrated the willingness to bear significant losses,” Stoltenberg said during a visit to the Netherlands Monday.

“They have also shown extreme brutality. We have all seen the horrific scenes from the liberated territories, as well as the indiscriminate attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure. The coming months will be difficult,” he noted, adding that Putin’s aim “is to leave Ukraine cold and dark this winter. So we must stay the course.”

Ukraine claims it has launched furthern investigations into 400 war crimes allegedly perpetrated by Russian forces in Kherson. Russia denies targeting civilians despite repeated attacks on residential buildings and civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine’s air force reportedly struck clusters of Russian troops, weapons and equipment on the left bank of the Dnieper River. That’s the western side of the Dnieper where Russian forces retreated to last week after withdrawing from the city of Kherson.

“Our aviators hit four areas of … [Russian] forces, weapons and equipment on the left bank,” Ukraine’s Operational Command South said on Facebook Monday, adding that 40 Russian troops had been killed as a result.

“So far, the enemy losses amounting to 40 tanks and seven armored combat vehicles have been confirmed. Other losses are being verified,” it added.

OC South said Russian forces continue to set up defenses on the left bank of the Dnieper, “trying to create additional defense lines and hold occupied lines.”

It added that they continued to fire on Ukrainian troops and de-occupied settlements along the right bank of the Dnieper, “employing aviation, heavy artillery, MLR systems, and mortars,” the statement read.

— Holly Ellyatt

krainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the newly liberated city of Kherson on Monday, saying Ukraine is ready for peace. Russian troops withdrew from the city and the area to the west bank of the Dnipro river last Thursday, saying they could no longer supply their troops in the region.

“We are moving forward,” he told troops standing in formation in front of the administration building in the city’s main square, according to comments translated by Reuters.

“We are ready for peace, peace for all our country,” he added as he thanked Ukraine’s allies for supplying weaponry that has helped turn the tide of the war in Ukraine’s favor.

There were scenes of jubilation in Kherson over the weekend as residents gave Ukrainian troops a hero’s welcome as they entered the city that had been occupied by Russian forces for eight months.

In his nightly address on Sunday evening, Zelenskyy said investigators had already documented more than 400 alleged war crimes by Russian troops in the region, with “the bodies of both civilians and military personnel” found.

Reuters noted that minutes before Zelenskyy arrived, and after he finished speaking, shelling and gunfire were heard in the vicinity of the city.

— Holly Ellyatt

Russia’s foreign ministry denied a report that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was taken to hospital as he arrived in Bali on Sunday for the G-20 meeting this week, calling it “fake news.”

AP reported that Sergei Lavrov had been taken to the hospital after landing in Bali, where he was set to attend the summit that begins on Tuesday. It cited Indonesian officials as sources for the report.

Lavrov was due to attend the G-20 summit in Bali in place of President Vladimir Putin, who had said previously he would not attend the meeting. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to attend virtually.

Indonesian officials did not immediately respond to requests from Reuters for comment.

— Holly Ellyatt

As temperatures plummet in Ukraine and winter approaches, both Ukraine and Russia are likely to face a new set of challenges as the war continues.

Winter will bring a change in conflict conditions for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, according to the latest military assessment by Britain’s Ministry of Defense.

“Changes to daylight hours, temperature and weather will present unique challenges for fighting soldiers,” the U.K. said on Twitter Monday. “Any decisions that the Russian General Staff make will be in part informed by the onset of winter.”

Daylight will be reduced to fewer than nine hours a day, compared with 15 to 16 hours at the height of summer, the ministry noted, meaning that will result in “fewer offensives and more static defensive frontlines.”

“The average high temperature will drop from 13 degrees Celsius through September to November, to zero through December to February. Forces lacking in winter weather clothing and accommodation are highly likely to suffer from non-freezing cold injuries,” the ministry said.

“Additionally, the ‘golden hour’ window in which to save a critically wounded soldier is reduced by approximately half, making the risk of contact with the enemy much greater.”

Ukraine’s spring and fall are characterized by melting snows and heavy rain, respectively, with both causing muddy conditions throughout the country in what is known as the “rasputitsa,” or “muddy road season.”

The U.K. said the likely increase in rainfall, wind speed and snowfall in the next few weeks and months will provide additional challenges to the already low morale of Russian forces, but also present problems for kit maintenance.

“Basic drills such as weapon cleaning must be adjusted to the conditions and the risk of weapon malfunctions increase.”

— Holly Ellyatt

As Ukraine’s jubilation at last week’s liberation of the city of Kherson continued over the weekend, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reminded civilians on Sunday night that the situation in the region remains dangerous.

“Please do not forget that the situation in the Kherson region is still very dangerous. First of all, there are mines. Unfortunately, one of our sappers died, and four others were injured while clearing mines,” he said in his nightly address, urging Kherson’s residents “to be very careful and immediately inform the rescuers about all dangerous objects.”

“Detention of Russian soldiers and mercenaries who were left behind in this territory and neutralization of saboteurs are also ongoing,” he said, noting that investigators had already documented more than 400 alleged war crimes by Russian forces.

“The bodies of both civilians and military personnel are being found,” he said, adding that in the Kherson region, “the Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country, where it was able to enter.”

With so much attention on Kherson last week, it’s been easy to forget that fierce fighting is continuing in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Sunday that “the fighting in the Donetsk region is as intense as in previous days. The level of Russian attacks is not decreasing.”

“As of now, the territory of five of our regions was hit by missile, air and artillery strikes of the occupiers during the day. These are Sumy region, Kharkiv region, Zaporizhzhia region, Luhansk region, and Donetsk region. We do everything to make the enemy feel our retaliation. To the maximum.”

Zelenskyy is preparing for another busy week on the diplomatic circuit as the Group of Twenty meeting takes place in Bali on Tuesday. Zelenskyy will attend the meeting virtually. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is not attending the summit, but Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be there.

— Holly Ellyatt

Residents of the newly liberated city of Kherson have been told to stay away from the city center, and to evacuate to safer regions altogether if possible, as Ukrainian forces get to work to rid the city and surrounding area of land mines planted by retreating Russian troops.

Yaroslav Yanushevych, the governor of the Kherson region, said on Telegram that while residents continue to celebrate last week’s withdrawal of Russian troops from the city, it’s not safe for residents to gather in public places. De-mining works are taking place in Kherson city center on Monday.

“Dear friends, it is already the second day of celebration of Kherson region celebration.  People take streets and squares with Ukrainian flags, rejoice, and express their gratitude to AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine]. But I want to warn everyone. De-mining works are being carried out. The enemy mined almost everything. I am begging you: do not gather in crowded places ,” he said Sunday.

Various images have emerged of abandoned military vehicles and buildings with warnings — that they contain landmines — scrawled on them.

— Holly Ellyatt

Having retreated from the city of Kherson and the west bank of the Dnipro river, Russian forces are continuing to build defensive lines on the eastern bank in the Kherson region, a Ukrainian army official said on Sunday.

Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for the general staff of the Ukrainian army, said Russia is “continuing to equip defensive lines” on the left bank of the river and is “concentrating its efforts on restraining the actions” of the Ukrainian forces “in certain directions.”

He added that Russia is conducting “offensive operations” in the Bakhmut, Avdiiv, and Novopavliv areas.

Ukrainian forces recaptured the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine last week after Russian forces announced they were withdrawing from the regional capital. The retreat marked the latest blow to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but Russian troops have not gone far, having regrouped on the opposite bank of the Dnipro river. It’s expected they will continue to shell Kherson city from there.

On Sunday, the governor of the Kherson region Yaroslav Yanushevych called on residents of the west bank of the river to evacuate the area, saying “a high probability of enemy shelling remains on the right-bank of Kherson region. The Russian army, when it flees, begins to fight with civilians out of hopelessness. We have repeatedly seen this in many liberated settlements.”

He said Russian forces had also seriously damage power and water supply infrastructure and recommended that civilians evacuate to safer regions.

— Holly Ellyatt